To Dance Again
by I Prefer To Stay Anonymous
Summary: "That was the summer of 1963, when everybody called me 'Baby' and it didn't occur to me to mind. That was before President Kennedy was shot, before the Beatles came, when I couldn't wait to join the Peace Corps, and I never thought I'd find a guy as great as my dad. That was the summer we went to Kellerman's." Ever wonder where she was when she said that?
1. Chapter 1 The Wife

**A/N: So I always wondered what Baby was doing in her life and where she was when she did the voice over, and since I couldn't find a story about it I decided to write one, I'm surprised by how easily this one flowed as I only had a starting point when I started to write. I have, for a change, written to half way through chapter 3 so the wait for the next chapter shouldn't be too long but I'm starting my second year at Uni so I can't promise how regular my updates will be after that. Anyway, I'll let you read, hopw you enjoy it, let me know what you think and see you at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dirty Dancing or its characters etc...**

**So on with the first chapter...**

**Chapter 1**

"That was the summer of 1963, when everybody called me 'Baby' and it didn't occur to me to mind. That was before President Kennedy was shot, before the Beatles came, when I couldn't wait to join the Peace Corps, and I never thought I'd find a guy as great as my dad. That was the summer we went to Kellerman's. I guess you'd expect everything to be different after that summer. And in some ways it was. I met and fell for my first love. At the time I was convinced that was it, he was _the_ one. I don't know about that anymore. Like I guess we always had to, we parted ways at the end of that summer. We spent those last glorious days together at Kellerman's before I walked, or rather drove, out of his life. Things didn't go back though. I wasn't the same girl that went. I came home as Frances. He was the last one to call me Baby. Like my Father observed, I wasn't Baby anymore, I had grown up that summer and it was time to stop pretending I hadn't. It was also the summer I realised who my Father really was, not that he was a bad person, but he stopped being 'Daddy'. I went to mount Holyoke as my father wished and I became an economist like he wanted. I even married a Harvard doctor just like he'd always dreamed. I lost a lot of my ideals and innocence that summer, I never did join the Peace Corps, and looking back at it, it was probably a good thing. I never had any contact with Johnny after that summer. Not until he waltzed back into my life over a decade later. And just like before I'm in over my head." Frances finished her explanation.

"What happened to Kellerman's?" Her friend Jeannette asked. Frances gave her a look to say '_that's_ what you want to know?' Her friend gave her a guilty look. "I wondered if I could go there for a life changing experience." She tagged on semi jokingly.

"Well, they closed a couple of years after I went. Nobody went on that kind of holiday anymore. People that could afford it went abroad instead. And you're happily married, what do you need in the life changing department?"

"Shame, I don't know, couldn't hurt to spice up life."

"Oh it can, I assure you."

"What happened to you anyway, I thought you were happily married, I get this guy was special and your first love but surely if you're happy in your marriage it shouldn't make too much difference?"

"You know I always thought I was. I thought I'd moved on. I mean, sure, I missed him sometimes, when I'd think back and remember how intense everything with him was. How he felt like everything. And I never thought I'd need anything else, I was willing to risk everything. But I grew up. I realised that love, or what I thought love was, wasn't everything, I learned there was more to life."

"So what's got you so shook up about him then?"

"It's how I left him" She sighed.

"I thought you said you both understood, that it was amicable?"

"It was, I guess it's more what I left him to. He had no money, no job, nothing. Even if he went back to Kellerman's, they didn't last much longer. And I went off to live a life where money has never been a worry. I all but forgot about him. I used to be so worried about everyone who was less fortunate than me, now I barely have the time or the chance to bear them a second thought. I may have grown up that summer, but I was still me when I left. But somewhere between then and now I lost myself. And he'll see that. The moment he sees me." Jeannette paused for a moment thinking of how to respond to such a thing.

"Then perhaps that's why he's here." She said slowly. "To show you that, and to help you reconcile with it, or to help you get back. Maybe he's just a wakeup call. To make you realise without you ever having to speak to him." She offered, the last part more optimism that realist.

"Well, not to blow your theory up but the chance of that is slim. My firm is having a ball and my husband has hired him to teach us to dance."

"Us?"

"He doesn't know I can dance."

"So much for telling each other everything…"

"That's you and your husband not me and mine."

"I still don't know how you work if you're keeping these secrets."

"He likes to think I'm all his. And that I've only ever been his, mind, body and soul."

"Heart included."

"It would only upset him to know the truth, besides; I don't want Johnny to lose the custom. He'll probably really need it."

"Maybe he's better off than he used to be. Maybe he's not in such need of it anymore."

"But if he isn't? Maybe this is the start of me looking after the people that don't have what I have again." Frances tried to justify it.

"Or maybe your just not as over him as you thought." Jeannette muttered.

"What?" Frances asked, not having heard her.

"Nothing, so when do your dance lessons start?"

"Tonight, why do you think I'm telling you now?"

"Well, good luck." Jeannette finished her cup of coffee before she stood up and slipped her cream jacket back on and picked up her matching handbag. " I have to get going, I need to get home or dinner won't be ready when Richard gets in." she reached over and gave Frances a light hug before she set off to where she had left her driver.

Frances shook her head. She loved Jeannette like a sister, though she was much closer to her than Lisa, but sometimes she thought Jeannette went a little bit over the top with things, like having a driver instead of learning to drive herself. It wasn't that Frances couldn't afford to have a driver if she so wished, she just liked the freedom she got from being able to drive. For the short time she was in her car she was just another motorist. She took a look at the busy streets of the city as she sat outside the café at one of the metal tables, covered with a white table cloth. It wasn't the most expensive place to have coffee but it wasn't the cheapest either. But Frances liked it. With a last survey and sigh she dabbed her mouth with a napkin, slid her jacket back on and picked up her purse. It was time to face the music, Roger would be home soon, and he wouldn't be too pleased if she wasn't there to meet him. Besides, she didn't want to be late for dinner. Cooking was never one of Frances' strong points it was perhaps the only thing Frances' did more elaborately than Jeannette. Jeannette always cooked for her husband. Frances hired a cook to do it for them. Roger didn't seem to mind as it gave him more time with his wife.

The drive home was never long enough in her opinion. But she was relieved to see her car was the only one in the drive when she got there. She climbed out and shut her car behind her, being careful as always not to lock the keys in the car. Something Roger always commented on. 'Only idiots lock their keys in the car Frances.' And every time she would respond with 'It could happen to anyone Roger' in her most patience voice. She walked into the house to find the maid cleaning the foyer. The maid was a suggestion of Roger's when it became clear that Frances didn't have the time to clean herself, only finishing an hour earlier than him. She headed straight up to her room to change out of her navy and cream suit and into something less formal. She hadn't been changed long when she heard a car arrive in the driveway. She prayed that it was Roger and not Johnny arriving early. She had initially booked a female dance teacher for them but Roger had objected, not wanted a woman to see him learning to dance, his wife being the exception, as a result she had suggested they find a male dance teacher. That one he had begrudgingly accepted, he never had wanted to learn to dance in the first place. Now however, ever since he found a teacher he seemed much more enthusiastic about it. Frances wasn't sure where it came from but she could only welcome it. She hadn't danced in over a decade but since being taught that summer she had fallen in love with it. It had just been too hard to dance after that, and then she was suddenly too busy.

She headed down the stairs and peaked out the window by the door to see her husband slamming the car door behind him. She took a few steps back so it didn't look like she was watching and waiting for him and paced slightly as she waited for him to open the front door. She turned in time to see him step through. She smiled as he put his bag down by the door and shrugged off his jacket, hanging it on the stand by the door. She stood there with her head tilted to the side watching him. She loved him, of that there was no doubt. She didn't get the butterflies and her heart didn't skip a beat like it used to when she saw Johnny but she loved him. It was a different love, not as intense but a sweet, lasting love. They didn't always get on, they argued, they disagreed on things and at times things weren't easy, but they worked at it. And they loved each other. She was happy with him, perhaps it wasn't love at first sight, and maybe he didn't look like a model, though she wouldn't call him ugly, but he was hers and vice versa. She could live with him, she knew he wouldn't break her, and they were from similar backgrounds.

He looked up at her watching him and smiled back. She noticed him looking at her and she moved to meet him.

"Darling, you're home." She greeted as she gave him a light hug and kissed his cheek, careful not to crease his suit.

"Wait in the parlour; I'll meet you there when I've changed." He offered, though to anyone else it would have sounded like a command, it was said softly.

She headed in to find the maid bringing a pot of tea in and Roger's pipe. There was also a newspaper, a set of reading glasses and her book on the table in there. She nodded a thank you to the maid as she was poured a cup of tea. She added a sugar cube and stirred in some milk. She then took a sip, picked up her book and started to read while she waited.

About 15 minutes later Roger appeared and took a seat beside her, he poured himself some tea and added the milk, he then lit up his pipe, put on his reading glasses and opened the paper.

"As a doctor you probably shouldn't smoke." Frances spoke without looking away from her book.

"There's no proof it's dangerous yet."

"There will be." Frances told him but left it at that.

"How was work?" He asked after a moment.

"Alright, yours?"

"Busy." There was silence again as they both took a sip from their tea, neither looking away from what they were reading.

"Dinner will be 15 minutes." Frances spoke up.

"Good. We should be ready." At that Frances froze. The words she was looking at no longer being seen. She didn't move from her position staring at her book. She took an almost imperceptible breath and tried to make her voice sound normal.

"When is he coming?" She asked. She took her eyes off her book and looked at her cup of tea as she took another sip. Roger looked at his watch.

"He'll be here in an hour." He then put the paper down and removed his glasses, the pipe still untouched in the ash tray. He rested his hand on hers and she too put her book down. "There's no need to be nervous, you'll be fine. I've never danced before either. I heard he's a great teacher. He comes highly recommended." He assured his wife. Frances smiled at the gesture, he knew without looking that she had become uneasy at the mention of dancing lessons. Perhaps he didn't understand why but she appreciated that he could tell, without needing to really look.

Dinner was a similar affair. Polite conversation as they ate, broken up by a comfortable silence. All the while however Frances felt herself getting more and more nervous to the point she was struggling to eat her dinner. Roger asked a few times if she was okay, to which she replied she was just nervous. Too soon however they were changed ready to dance and waiting for their dance instructor to arrive. There was a large empty room to the back of the large house with a wooden floor that they were going to use. It looked as though it had in the past been used for dancing and the moment they had found out they needed to learn to dance, or rather he needed to, this room had been designated for the task. Frances paced the foyer while she waited. Roger stood by the stairs and kept looking at his watch. As he heard his wife's shoes on the stone, marble effect tiles on the floor again he looked up.

"Frances, do stand still." She glanced at him briefly but ignored his suggestion and kept pacing. At the sound of a car she rushed to the window to the utter confusion of her husband, at the sight her heart near enough stopped. It was the same car. The back window on the driver's side still the same one, though she could see it had been fixed, just not replaced. When he stepped out the car her breath hitched. It had been over a decade but she still felt the same butterflies she always did when she saw him. He looked up at the house at though he was assessing it; he gave a whistle before jogging up the steps and knocking on the front door. Frances stepped back from the window and Roger walked over to open the door, giving Frances an enquiring look. Roger opened the door and stepped aside to allow the other man in.

"Mr Castle?" The other man must have nodded, "Come on in."

**Okay, I hope you liked it, I know Frances has changed from the film, it has been a lot of years. It was so hard to get into writing Frances instead of Baby but the first line seemed to me to imply she was Frances now and Baby was no longer acceptable. Anyway, I know it was mean to stop it there, we will meet Johnny next chapter. How do you think she'll react? So, I hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think, and I'll see you in the next chapter, hopefully. (*smiles*)**


	2. Chapter 2 The First Dance

**A/N: Okay, first, sorry it took so long to upload, I have no excuse but I blame Maths. So here's the next chapter, I hope you like it. Here we get to see Frances (not easy to remember to call her that) reaction to Johnny. With her husband watching no less. So, I hope you enjoy it, let me know what you think and see you at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dirty Dancing or its characters etc...**

**So on with the next chapter...**

**Chapter 2**

Frances waited with baited breath as Johnny walked through the door. She watched him shake hands with her husband before her husband spoke up.

"And this is my wife Frances." Roger introduced. Frances froze as Johnny turned to meet her. The saw the recognition in his eyes immediately, as he was about to open his mouth she stepped forward, hand held out to shake.

"Nice to meet you Mr Castle." She spoke formally and strongly, managing to pull it off and disguise her racing heart. Bewildered he shook her hand. At the contact her breath hitched slightly. Roger seemed to notice as he came to stand beside his wife. She quickly went to cover it. "My husband has told me you are the best dance instructor around. We're glad to have you teach us both." She snatched her hand back and Roger placed his on her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"My wife is just a little nervous about learning to dance." He explained her actions. Johnny nodded slightly though his eyes stayed on Frances for a moment longer as though he was still trying to process what was happening. "We can get started straight away if you like, the dance room is right this way." Roger continued. It was somewhat obvious that he knew little about dancing.

"Ball room dear." She corrected automatically, her voice soft.

"Right." He nodded as he gestured for Johnny to follow him. Johnny nodded as he drew himself from his daze and followed the man. Frances stayed a moment longer, she then shook her head and sighed clearing her head and followed after the two men. 'What was she going to do?' she was sure she had made it pretty to Johnny where they stood in that moment. While in some ways it seemed harsh to act as though she didn't know him and the idea that he would think she had either forgot about him or was ashamed of her past with him killed her she was also aware that her husband couldn't know.

She entered the ballroom to find her husband apparently explaining how nervous his wife was about learning to dance. She caught the look Johnny cast her as she entered upon hearing this. She quickly averted her eyes and looked instead at her husband.

"So, how is this going to work?" She asked, half addressing Johnny though her eyes were solely on her husband.

"You say you've never danced right?" He asked her directly and Frances was forced to look at him.

"No." She told him confidently, looking him in the eye as she lied.

"Well, I guess we start with the basics." His voice seemed harder, losing the somewhat friendly tone from before.

"Well, let's get-" He was cut off by the sound of a phone ringing. It stopped then a moment later a maid appeared at the door.

"A phone call for you sir." She addressed Roger.

"Important?"

"A patient sir." She spoke politely but quickly. Roger turned to Frances and Johnny.

"I better take this. You two start, I could be a while." Roger said as he left the room to take the call. With that they were left alone in the room.

Frances and Johnny stood there in silence for a moment before he began to open his mouth. In a desperate attempt to stop him she spoke up.

"Let's start then Mr Castle." She started, making sure to maintain the formal pretence. He seemed slightly taken aback by her abrupt tone and formal disposition but quickly acquiesced. She knew it was wrong and unfair on him. She was treating him how all the rich snobs he hated used to. She could see it was hurting him. That he was confused. She just didn't know how else to deal with it, and roger couldn't find out.

"Frances?" He asked as though he was checking that it was the correct way to address her. She nodded. "You maintain you've never danced before?" She again nodded, unable to look him in the eye this time. "Well, let's start with your dance position."

After a few minutes it became obvious that Frances was pretending to be a bad dancer. True to her word it seemed a lot like she had never danced before. Except Johnny knew she had. She may have changed a lot in the years since he had last seen her but he could still tell it was her from the first moment he saw her. It was only so long before he called her out on it. He knew however that she wouldn't just admit anything. She was stubborn. But she wouldn't back down from a challenge.

"This is useless!" He took a step back. "You can't even do the simple steps!" He exclaimed, choosing to go along with whatever she wanted to pretend was the truth. He continued his tirade about how she couldn't do it and was incapable of learning until he saw the look on her face. The one that had resulting in her filling in for Penny all those years ago. The one that said 'I'll prove you wrong' "One last try to show me you can do it." He offered as they took up their positions again.

This time it flowed naturally. She stopped fighting it and just let the feeling wash over her. She was rusty, that much was obvious. But she still knew the routines and she still had that same grace as he spun her this way and that finishing with a lift. At the end they stood there face to face, breathing hard from the exertion and anger.

"Why?" He asked now she had showed herself. Now she could no longer hide or deny.

"He can't know." She justified, her voice strong and determined.

"So what? You just lie to him? What happened to you Baby?" At the name her eyes flash and the anger is back full force.

"Don't you dare call me that, I'm not that girl anymore!" She knows she's overreacting but she can't let him pull her back to that time. That time is long past, she's got a husband and a life of her own now. "He doesn't need to know." She said the last part calmer though Johnny still seemed taken aback by her sudden rage.

"And what about me?"

"I'm happy. I love him. I'm not risking my marriage on a past mistake." She internally winced as she spoke the last sentence. She knew that would hurt him but she needed him to be mad enough at her that he would go along with it. "He can't stand the fact that I could ever have been with anyone else in anyway. So I let him believe he's the only one." She explained. He didn't seem to have heard the last part though.

"Mistake huh?" He paused. "You know I thought you were different. But I was wrong, you were just like all the other ones. I mean, look at you know with your big house and your Harvard doctor husband." He sneered.

"I was a naïve little girl back then, I didn't know how the world really worked. I thought I could change the world and that love was all I needed back then. I know better now."

"You really have changed."

"Yeah, like I said, I'm not 'Baby' anymore. I haven't been since I left Kellerman's." She said the old nickname with dislike. He turned and shook his head, just as he turned back around Roger re-entered the room. He headed straight for his wife and placed a gentle kiss on her head.

"Sorry about that. How did you get on?" He addressed the question to Frances.

"Not so great, looks like dancing isn't one of my strong points." She told him regretfully, her eyes flicking to Johnny, almost pleading him to agree.

"How about we see how you dance together now?" Johnny suggested as he started to set them into their dance positions.

Over the next half hour Johnny taught both Roger and Frances the basics. Roger seemed to be getting along rather well and picking it up at a decent rate. Frances however was having less luck with it. In her attempt to appear as though she'd never danced before she seemed to have overcompensated and the result was that she seemed to barely be picking it up at all.

"Frances, dear, you seem to need a little extra help." He commented at the end of the session. "Perhaps you should arrange an earlier session." Roger suggested. Frances looked up sharply. "Now don't be embarrassed, you get in earlier than me. You could have a private dance lesson then." He continued.

"I really don't think that's necessary. And I know you don't like-"

"I trust you Frances." He assured her and she realised there was no way out of this. "Unless there is a reason…"

"No, you are right. I should take the extra lessons. I was just embarrassed that you were learning faster than me is all." She admitted.

"That's settled then." Roger nodded. "You are available then aren't you?" He checked as he turned to Johnny.

"Of course." Johnny replied using his voice best reserved for his employers. "Well, I'll let myself out then?" He suggested after a moment of silence he seemed unsure how to react to.

"Nonsense, Frances will show you out." Roger squeezed her arm gently before he left the room.

Frances turned to Johnny.

"Well I guess we'll be seeing more of each other. I apologise for how I treated you earlier, I was unsure of how to act, my husband is important to me and I will not risk losing him. However I know I acted harshly." She spoke formally in a business like tone. She then turned to the door and began to walk him out. The short walk through the house was done in total silence. And neither spoke until they reached the door.

"Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow Frances." Johnny said as he reached the door.

"Yes, I guess you will Mr Castle." She returned, she still couldn't bring herself to use his first name. She waited for his car to leave before she stopped watching out the window by the door. Then she went to go find her husband. She found him in the television room watching a business channel. He looked up when she entered and made room for her to sit beside him. She settled into his side and picked up the book that was set on the coffee table waiting for her.

As Frances got ready for bed that night she couldn't settle her mind. It kept racing with all that had happened that evening. And especially what would happen when she was left alone with him the next day. She knew she hadn't handled it well. She was afraid he would let slip to Roger and as a result she had treated him terribly. She'd have to sort it out tomorrow. That was the upside to being alone with him for an hour. Even if she was half terrified, and half excited, about it. As she mulled over her doubts she felt Roger come up behind her. He placed a soft kiss on the side of her neck, she tilted it to give him better access and he began to work his way down it with his lips. She sighed happily all other thoughts leaving her head.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, sorry for anyone who didn't like that but she's a different person now, and she doesn't know how to act around him, let alone with her husband there too, who despite the lack of excitement in the relationship she does love. So we'll see where it goes. I hope you enjoyed it all the same. To Isa, thank you, I'm glad you think so. To Guest, also thank you. So, let me know what you think and see you in the next chapter. (*smiles*)<strong>


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